Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

(Amelia) #1

on the fritz 1. mod. not functioning prop-
erly. This TV is on the fritz again. My
watch is on the fritz. 2. mod. alcohol in-
toxicated. Sue is a bit on the fritz. She
drank till she was totally on the fritz.


on the horseGo to horsed.


on the juicemod. drinking heavily; on a
drinking bout. (See also juice.) Fred
spent the whole week on the juice. She
won’t be able to return your call. I’m afraid
she’s on the juice again.


on the junkmod. on drugs; addicted to
drugs. (See also junk.) Max has been
on the junk for all of his adult life. He’s
not really on the junk. He’s only addicted
to cigarettes.


on the lam[...lAm] mod. running from the
police. (Underworld.) Bart has been on
the lam for a week now. When the boss
found out you was on the lam, he got real
mad.


on the levelmod. honest; straightforward.
Come on now. Be on the level with me.
Is the ad on the level?


on the makemod. ambitious; attempting
to be great. That young lawyer is sure
on the make. This university is on the
make.


on the mojo[...”modZo] mod. addicted to
morphine; using morphine. (Drugs. See
also mojo.) How long you been on the
mojo? How can you hold a steady job if
you’re on the mojo?


on the moneymod. exactly as desired; at
the right amount of money. Your new
idea is right on the money. The bid for
the new hospital came in on the money.


on the natch[...nAtS] mod. free of drugs;
natural and straight. Max says he wants
to get on the natch, but I don’t believe it.
I have been on the natch for almost a
year.


on the needlemod. addicted to injectable
drugs. (Drugs.) My sister’s on the nee-
dle, and I want to help her. Once you’re
on the needle, you’ve had it.


on the nosemod. exactly on time; exactly
as planned. I want you there at noon on


the nose. All three of them were at the
appointed place right on the nose.
on the outs (with someone)mod. in a
mild dispute with someone; sharing ill
will with someone. Tom and Bill are on
the outs again. Tom has been on the outs
with Bill before. They’ll work it out.

on the pillmod. taking birth control pills.
Is it true that Mary is on the pill? She
was on the pill, but she isn’t now.
on the prowlmod. looking for someone
for sexual purposes, in the manner of a
prowling cat. Tom looks like he is on the
prowl again tonight. That whole gang of
boys is on the prowl. Watch out.

on the QTmod.in secret; secretly. (From
QuieT.) Do it on the QT and try not to
get caught. He said it on the QT so no
one else knows except you and me.
on the rag 1. mod. menstruating. (Usually
objectionable.) Kim’s on the rag and in
a bad mood. Sue doesn’t go swimming
when she’s on the rag. 2. mod. ill-tem-
pered. (Usually objectionable.) Bill is
on the rag and making trouble for every-
one. Wow, Wayne, you are on the rag.
What’s eating you?

on the roadmod. traveling from place to
place, not necessarily on the highways.
(See also get the show on the road.) 
I was on the road with the circus for six
months. I don’t work in the main office
anymore. Now I’m on the road.
on the rocks 1. mod. (of an alcoholic
drink) with ice cubes. (See also rocks.) 
I’d like mine on the rocks, please. Give
me a scotch on the rocks, please. 2. mod.
in a state of ruin or bankruptcy. (Like a
ship that has gone aground on the rocks
and cannot be moved.) That bank is on
the rocks. Don’t put your money in it. 
My finances are on the rocks just now.

on the run 1. mod. while one is moving
from place to place. I will try to get
some aspirin today on the run. I will
think about it on the run. 2. mod. running
from the police. Bart is on the run from
the cops. The gang of crooks is on the
run. Probably somewhere in Florida.

on the fritz

Free download pdf